Gunmen shoot 5 inside Shockoe Bottom business; no fatalities reported

RICHMOND, Va. -- Five people were shot and a sixth person suffered injuries during an early Saturday morning armed robbery inside a Shockoe Bottom business. None of the injuries were considered life threatening, according to Richmond Police.

Officers were called to Liquid Café -- located at 4 N 18th Street in Shockoe Bottom -- at about 5:12 a.m.

"After [police] arrived, they located six people who had been inside the establishment at the time of the robbery who were injured; five by gunfire, one by other means. All of them were taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries," a Richmond Police spokesperson said. "Although it is early in the investigation, Richmond Police detectives have determined that two armed individuals with their faces covered entered the establishment and announced a robbery. Shots were fired. An inventory of what they took is still being conducted."

No descriptions of the gunmen have been released.

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"I am certain that we can all agree that this increasing gun violence in Shockoe Bottom is unacceptable – this cannot be the norm," Richmond Police Chief Alfred Durham said in a statement following the shooting. "Someone knows the perpetrators of this crime and we need the public’s help. We need people to call us when they hear or see something. We are already working with several stakeholders in the Shockoe Bottom community and we will continue to develop public safety strategies to reduce violence and bring a sense of calm to the area."

Earlier this week, a Chesterfield man was arrested in connection to another Shockoe Bottom shooting. Darroll G. Allen, 25, of Chesterfield, was charged with malicious wounding and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Additional charges are pending, police said.

In that case, two men and one woman were shot early Wednesday morning near Plush Nightclub -- along the 1700 block of East Main Street -- just after 2 a.m. All three shooting victims were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Anyone with information about this armed robbery is asked to call Major Crimes Detective Nathan Reese at 804-510-4183 or contact Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000 or at http://www.7801000.com. The P3 Tips Crime Stoppers app for smartphones may also be used. All three Crime Stoppers methods are anonymous.